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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29036082">Workplace Proximity Associates</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyfreeze/pseuds/sunnyfreeze'>sunnyfreeze</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shameless (US), Superstore (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>5+1 Things, Future Fic, but past fic re superstore, like season 3 superstore with glenn in charge, re shameless, security guard!mickey milkovich, tags so far only for what is posted, this is a weird combo but bear with me, why am I obsessed w the mickey &amp; dina dynamic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:53:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,747</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29036082</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyfreeze/pseuds/sunnyfreeze</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After Ian and Mickey complete their parole, they move to St. Louis, MO and Mickey gets a job as security at Cloud 9 store 1217, the Ozark Highlands store. This is five times his coworkers learned something new about him and one time they already knew him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, mateo liwanag &amp; cheyenne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>105</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Jonah & Dina</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Title from Ron Swanson on Parks and Rec</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>1.	JONAH<br/>
Mickey is standing by the entrance of the Cloud 9, facing into the store, wearing his security uniform, a couple hours into his first shift when Jonah wanders up to him. “Hey, man! I didn’t get to introduce myself earlier.” He sticks out his hand to shake. “I’m Jonah.”</p>
<p>Inwardly, Mickey stifles a long-suffering sigh, but he shakes Jonah’s hand. “Mickey.” </p>
<p>“How are you liking Cloud 9 so fa—woah, Mickey, are your fingers okay? That’s a lot of bandages, man…” Jonah holds Mickey’s hand a second too long, examining the wrappings that Ian had helped him painstakingly curl around each finger that morning to cover up his knuckle tattoos.</p>
<p>“Yeah, man,” Mickey mimics, continuing before Jonah catches the mockery. “They’re not injuries. Management just doesn’t like the tats.”</p>
<p>“Oh, you have knuckle tattoos?” Jonah nods, raising his eyebrows. “That’s cool. You weren’t worried about employment? I’m not the tattoo kinda guy myself,” he says, gesturing to his white-bread suburban looking ass that probably has a fear of every kind of needle, “but even if I was, I’d worry that hand tattoos would make it hard to get hired.”</p>
<p>“Clearly they’re not that big a deal, since it got me here with you.”</p>
<p>Jonah doesn’t rise to the bait. “That’s true. Covering them up must be annoying though.”</p>
<p>Mickey just shrugs.</p>
<p>“What do they say, huh?” Jonah grins at him. Apparently he thinks they’re friends now.</p>
<p>“This one says FUCK. This one says U UP.”</p>
<p>Jonah blinks at him. “Wow. You really weren’t worried about employment.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, well, at the time, I was in juvie and thought I was in for a life as a career criminal, so no, not really worried about employment.”</p>
<p>“Oh. Yeah. That makes sense then.” Jonah pauses and they just look at each other. At least he has the decent sense to not ask why Mickey was in juvie. Jonah takes a breath. “Not a career criminal anymore?”</p>
<p>Mickey smirks at him. “No, not anymore. Career whatever-the-fuck-this-is, I guess,” he answers, gesturing to his grey-brown uniform. Admittedly, it is significantly better than that one previous employer’s pink polo, so he doesn’t plan on complaining too much to Ian tonight.</p>
<p>“Hey, that’s mine too,” Jonah quips, fluttering his blue vest. “So why’d you switch over? Personally, I dropped out of business school and have an astronomical amount of student loans.”</p>
<p>Mickey sighs. He considers not answering, because he’s kind of ready for this conversation to be over, but despite Jonah’s soccer mom attitude, he doesn’t hate Jonah as much as he expected. And he should play somewhat nice considering Ian and he are planning on staying in St. Louis long term and Mickey doesn’t want to have to job search again for a while. Mickey shrugs. “Basically, got out of prison, PO got me my first real job since I was a kid, got married, don’t want to go to prison again.”</p>
<p>Jonah is looking at him much more seriously now. “Yeah, that’s—so would you say that you actually found parole helpful? Because I’ve heard that—”</p>
<p>“Man, I’m not talking the politics of the prison system with you! Shouldn’t you be restocking the baby wipes or something? Fuck off.”</p>
<p>Jonah just grins and lets it go. “Nice meeting you, Mickey,” he says as he walks deeper into the store.<br/>
 <br/>
2.	DINA</p>
<p>“Thief! Thief! Can one of you do your job and stop him?” Dina yells, chasing a large blonde man out of housewares. </p>
<p>Mickey looks to his partner in khaki, but the guy just steps out of the running man’s way. Mickey doesn’t really understand the intense, blue-polo wearing, supposed human that is Dina, but she is his supervisor, so he sighs and takes after the blonde. He tackles the man in the parking lot, grateful that his uniform pants are made of a thick material that prevents him from destroying his knees on the asphalt. He’s still wrestling the man when Dina arrives.</p>
<p>“Nicely done!” She’s panting and has her hands on her knees, but grinning. “Seriously well done. You’re new here. What’s your name?”</p>
<p>“Milkovich.” He’s panting too, and the guy under him has gone limp.</p>
<p>“Alright, well get off him, Milkovich. You’re small, but he still doesn’t need you sitting on him.” </p>
<p>Mickey stands up and she cuffs the guy, who groans, “I didn’t do anything. What are you doing? Let me go!”</p>
<p>“Ah, ah. That’s not how it works. You’re coming to holding with us, pal.”</p>
<p>“Holding? What? Lady, you’re crazy!” The guy tries to squirm out of Dina’s grip, but she’s clearly got a tight grip.</p>
<p>“Coming, Milkovich?”</p>
<p>Mickey scratches his brow bone, but he dutifully and silently follows. Dina leads them into the store, where they get the guy settled in the weird little interrogation room that Dina has set up. She motions for Mickey to leave the room with her. They go to a small room filled with security camera monitors, showing different parts of the store, including the supposed holding area. </p>
<p>Dina eyes the monitor showing the guy, gives Mickey a onceover, and puts her hands on her hips. “Here’s the plan. You go back in there and scare him into giving up whatever he stole. It’ll be a small electronic.”</p>
<p>Mickey blinks at her. “That’s it? That’s your whole plan?”</p>
<p>Dina shrugs. “Yeah, I figure after that tackle, you could probably get him to give it up pretty easily. Then we can call the police.” She rolls her eyes, “They’re useless before you have proof.”</p>
<p>“You want me to beat him down and then you’re gonna call the police? Aw, hell no. I’m not about that shit anymore, whatever my record and old boss told you. Anything illegal, I’m out. I’ll walk,” Mickey says emphatically, his eyebrows up in his hairline.</p>
<p>Dina is taken aback. “Woah, nothing here,” Dina indicates the monitors and Mickey, “is illegal. What are you talking about? I don’t want you to beat anyone. I honestly think that as soon as you walk in there, he’ll just hand over whatever he took. And legally, as long as we have reasonable belief that he stole from the store, which we do, and we keep him for only a reasonable amount of time, we can conduct the investigation ourselves without calling the cops. That’s all we’re doing. Conducting an investigation.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Mickey feels himself deflate a little. “Yeah, I can do that.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, great, but first, what on earth did you do for your old boss?”</p>
<p>Mickey scratches his nose with his index finger. “You’re assistant manager, didn’t you read my application?”</p>
<p>“Nah, Glenn does all the hiring. It’s too much hassle. So?”</p>
<p>“Just I used to work security at different places and some of them wanted me to get physical with shoplifters, is all. And I didn’t mind back then, but now I’ve done my time and I’ve got a good life, and I’m not going back in.”</p>
<p>Dina shrugs. “Works for me. I don’t want you to touch that guy, or any customer. Oh, except when they run.” Dina grins. “That was an excellent tackle.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>3.	CHEYENNE, MATEO, &amp; MARCUS</p><p>Mickey walks into the breakroom to eat lunch and is immediately called over by Mateo to join him, Cheyenne, and Marcus. “I need someone to validate me. We’re making a bet, and they’re wrong, and I’m right.”</p><p>This is the kind of invitation that Mickey would normally ignore. As entertaining as it is to overhear Mateo and Cheyenne's catty gossip sessions, he doesn't have much interest in participating in them. He and Mateo are just different types of gay. Not that Mickey has actually come out to anyone in the store yet. And he also doesn't want to encourage Marcus, who keeps trying to be his friend. He and Marcus are different types of excon. Marcus is softer than Ian. Hell, Marcus is probably the softest one in the store—except Jonah. But since they’re the only four people in the room, Mickey can’t really say no and sit at one of the multiple empty tables by himself. So he silently joins them and no one acknowledges his reluctance.</p><p>Cheyenne begins, “Okay, so you know that super-hot ginger EMT that comes in every morning, like, right when we open and gets a coffee from the café and leaves?”</p><p>Mickey nods slowly. He knows that Ian comes in after dropping Mickey off and before heading off to his morning EMT shifts. He’s also not surprised that she finds Ian as memorable as he does. What he doesn’t know is where Cheyenne is going with this.</p><p>“Well, Mateo insists that he’s gay, but Cheyenne and I think he’s just wishful thinking. Mateo clearly just wants him, so—”</p><p>“What? I don’t want him.” Cheyenne gives Mateo a look. “Okay, I mean, I do. Obviously. You would want him too. But that’s not the point.” He turns to Mickey, gesturing with his hands, “Just tell them I’m right and he’s gay. Obviously, I would know.”</p><p>Mickey’s eyebrows have slowly risen up his forehead as they were talking, but when Mateo turns to him, his face goes blank. “You’re right, he’s gay.”</p><p>“Oh, come on!” Marcus sits back and shakes his head. “You’re just agreeing to agree. I never took you for a yes man, Milkovich.”</p><p>Cheyenne nods aggressively. “You’re just guessing. Means nothing. It’s two to two now, so—”</p><p>“It’s not two to two, I should clearly get more of a vote because—”</p><p>“Because why, that doesn’t even make any—”</p><p>“You’re gonna have to ask him yourself and it’s gonna be reeeeal embarrassing when he tells you about his wife,” Cheyenne says, pointing at Mateo.</p><p>Mickey isn’t even hiding his shocked look anymore. His eyebrows are practically blending with his hairline as he rubs one with his finger. “Woah. Hey. Shut up!” They all turn to him. “I’m not guessing.”</p><p>Marcus opens his mouth, but Mickey continues.</p><p>“And I’m not just agreeing with Mateo to agree either. The ginger’s gay. Married to a man, fu—” Mickey coughs, “sex with that man, gay.”</p><p>Cheyenne narrows her eyes at him. “How do you know? Have you seen him in the store with his husband or something?”</p><p>“He’s, uh, married to me. He’s my husband.”</p><p>Mateo squeals, “Twenty bucks, bitches! That’s mine, thank you,” as Cheyenne and Marcus groan and hand him money.</p><p>Mickey blinks. “The fuck? This was your fucked up way of asking if I was gay?”</p><p>“No way, Mickey,” Mateo says earnestly, as he folds up his cash. “These were two totally separate bets. No way had I expected you to be married to the redhead.”</p><p>“What’s that—?”</p><p>“No shade, I just wouldn’t think he was your type.”</p><p>Mickey scoffs. “Yeah, what’s my type?”</p><p>They take his question seriously and pause to think. Marcus answers first. “I would guess, like someone really angry looking. Like just,” Marcus scowls, “all the time.”</p><p>“I don’t know,” Cheyenne answers, “but he just looks boring. I imagined your husband looking real interesting. Like, maybe a giant face scar or something!”</p><p>Mickey grins. “Well, he doesn’t have any face scars, but Ian Gallagher definitely ain’t boring.”</p><p>“I mean, he is extremely hot.” Cheyenne and Marcus nod and hum in agreement. Mickey does too. “How long have you guys been together?”</p><p>“Yeah, no, we’re not doing that.”</p><p>“What? Why not?”</p><p>“Because,” Mickey takes out his food, “this conversation is officially too gay for me. I’m gonna eat my lunch now.”</p><p>“Too gay for you, please.” Mateo rolls his eyes. “You’re just saving all that energy for your gorgeous man at home.”</p><p>“Jealously isn’t a good look for you, Mateo,” Mickey says, winking and taking a big bite of the sandwich that Ian prepared for him that morning.</p><p>4. GLENN &amp; SANDRA</p><p>“Hey, Mickey!” Glenn calls Mickey over to where he’s standing at a table by a precarious display of soda arranged into a rainbow.</p><p>“Need something?”</p><p>“No, Mickey, this is about what I can do for you! How would you like the joy of children in your life?”</p><p>Mickey stares as his boss blankly. Frankly, he finds Glenn’s constant energy and high-pitched voice exhausting, and sometimes it takes all his concentration just to not punch Glenn in his little face every time he opened his mouth.</p><p>“Through fostering!”</p><p>“Oh,” Mickey says, “that’s the people who take over when family services gets you.” He nods and takes a pamphlet.</p><p>“Uh,” Glenn stalls, clearly not prepared for even this extremely lukewarm reaction to his pitch, and rallies, “yeah! Are you interested then? It’s incredibly fulfilling—“</p><p>“I dunno, husband wants a pack of kids—he grew up in a huge family—and I’m not having any babies for him. How does this work? You gotta get family services’ permission and shit? Can’t have too high standards based on some of the foster shitholes I’ve seen.”</p><p>“Oh, you were in foster care?”</p><p>Mickey scoffs. “Everyone I know was at some point growing up.”</p><p>“Oh, well, if you’re interested—“</p><p>“Hey, Glenn!” Sandra appears behind them. “Brett’s looking for you. Apparently there’s a spill in grocery and Amy’s worried about—ooh, fun table!”</p><p>“Thanks, Sandra!” The two of them and their audible exclamation points were gonna give Mickey a migraine. “Mickey and I were just discussing fostering.”</p><p>“Aw, Mickey, that’s so cute! I can imagine you being a great dad!”</p><p>Mickey grimaces. “Thanks?”</p><p>“So what I was saying, Mickey, is you have to fill out this form and pass a background check—“</p><p>“Oh, you need a background check? Never mind then.” He turns away.</p><p>“Wait, what do you mean, never mind?”</p><p>“Didn’t you read my application to work here?”</p><p>“Nah, I leave that to Dina. She’s pickier than I am anyway.”</p><p>“Oh. Well I’ve got an extensive criminal record so. That plus gay, plus Ian’s background, I think that leaves us out.”</p><p>“Ian’s got a record too? He always looks so clean cut when he comes in.”</p><p>Mickey raises an eyebrow. “You been checking out my man, Sandra?”</p><p>“What? No.” She looks away guiltily, down at her hands. “He just looks very nice is all.”</p><p>“Yeah, very nice until he exploded a van and ended up in a cell with me,” Mickey says, grinning.</p><p>“You were cell mates?” Glenn’s eyes look like they’re gonna drop out of his face.</p><p>“Did you meet in jail?” Sandra’s eyes are big but they seem a little more secure in her skull.</p><p>“Ah, nah, we’ve been together off and on since we were kids.”</p><p>“How’d you end up in a cell together? Did you help him make the van explode?”</p><p>“Uh, no,” Mickey rubs his neck sheepishly. “I was out of town when I heard that, and so I—it’s a long story.”</p><p>Now Sandra’s eyes look like they’re in danger. “Did you go to jail on purpose to be with him? That sounds like true love right there!” She’s clutching her hands over her heart like a cartoon character.</p><p>“I—look, it doesn’t matter. They gonna take us or not?” Mickey waves the pamphlet.</p><p>Glenn clears his throat and takes a breath. He seems to be actively forcing himself back into audible exclamation mark mode, which he had dropped in his surprise. “Well, it’s certainly worth a shot! Family services is, um, down with the gays, so that shouldn’t be a problem. And for the criminal record, Jerusha had a, um, well, it was a much smaller issue, we don’t need to talk about it—“ as if anyone had asked “—so I don’t know if that compares, but maybe with recommendations from us, you can—“</p><p>“Glenn!” Dina appears behind Mickey, sounding exasperated. “What is this?”</p><p>It’s unclear whether Glenn misses her tone or purposefully ignores it when he cheerfully answers, “Oh, I’m just teaching Mickey and Sandra about—“</p><p>“Ugh,” Dina groans, reaches over, and flips the table. When the cloud of fluttering pamphlets settles, scattered all over the floor, she says, to Glenn’s dropped jaw and Sandra and Mickey’s amusement, “if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times, Glenn: you can’t promote or force your personal belief systems on coworkers or customers!” She crosses her arms and glares at him.</p><p>“But, but Dina, this wasn’t even about religion!”</p><p>“I don’t care. Go to your office, we’ll discuss it more later.” Glenn pouts and slinks off, and Dina turns to her audience. “What are you two looking at? Show’s over. Get back to work.”</p><p>With that, the three of them abandon the fallen table and pamphlets.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next section will have Amy and Garrett and a visit from Ian!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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